Sarawakian Local Delights : Long Beans and Dried Prawns Pancake

Many Iban housewives are creative especially those who have learnt from Home Demonstrators who taught well during the Colonial days and the 60's. They then would pass on their practical knowledge to their daughters. They did not use any scientific measuring gadgets. Probably they used the OMO glass or tumbler.

So, whenever visitors come to their longhouse these women would make kuih quite easily either for breakfast or for tea.

One very easy kuih to make is the savoury pancake which they will mix with finely chopped long beans, chillies and dried prawns. Long beans are easily grown in the backyard of the longhouse and so are chillies. Dried prawns are usually stored in bottles by the Iban women as part of their kitchen must haves.

The savoury pancakes would be an added and colourful addition to the normal Osborne biscuits produced at the ruai for unexpected guests. No good Iban would let their guests go away without a drink and snack at least.

Eaten with coffee these small pancakes will make conversations very interesting!!